Automobile rear signal



C. BURNING.

AUTOMOBILE REAR SIGNAL.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 6. 1919.

1 ,356,81 4, Patented Oct. 26, 1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

C. BURNING.

- AUTOMOBILE REAR SIGNAL.

APPLICATION FlLED JUNE 6,1919.

1 ,3 56,8 1 4: Patented Oct. 26, 1920.

3.SHEETSSHEET 2- C. DURNING.

AUTOMOBILE REAR SIGNAL.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 6, 1919.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

rare-N CHARLES BURNING, 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

AUTOMOBILE REAR SIGNAL.

' Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Oct, 26, 1920.

Application filed June 6, 1919. .Serial No. 302,096.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CHARLES DURNING, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Automobile Rear' Signals, of-which the following is a specification. 1

My invention relates to a new and useful improvement in automobile rear signals and llcense tag holders and illumlnators, which are used bythe operators of automobiles to signal. following vehicles of their intentions to stop, start, slowdown or turn to the right or left, by simply setting a hand relative to a dial and has for its object to provide in such a device, simple and effective means for mounting the shaft endsof a rotatable signal drum. 1" v With these ends in'view, my invention consists in the details of construction and combination of elements hereinafter set forth and then specifically designated by the claims. I p I v In order that those skilled in the art to which this invention 'appertains may understand how to make and use the same I will describe its construction in detail, referring by numerals to the accompanying drawings forming apart of my application, in which v Figure 1, is an elevation of an automobile showing my improvements applied thereto, a portion of the body of the machine being broken away.

Fig. 2, is an enlarged plan view of a por tion of the steering wheel showing the indi eating dial attached to the steering post casing.

'Fig. 3, is an enlarged rear elevation of the indicator detached from the machine.

Fig. 4, is a plan view of Fig. 3, partly broken away to show the signal drum therein.

Fig. 5, is a perspective of the signal, the casing being partly broken away to show the arrangement of certain of the parts therein. V

Fig. 6, is an enlarged detail .view of the signal drum partly broken away to show the arrangement of the electric lamp therein.

Fig. 7, is an end view of the drum look ing in the direction of the arrow, the gear being removed, and

Fig. 8, is a partial central section of Fig.

'7 showing the lamp socket and the method of securing the head of the drum thereon.

In carrying out my invention as here embodied 1 represents the casing which is of the proper shape and size to contain the signaling drum, the 'I'mechanism for operating the same, the license tag and the lamp for illuminating ing is mounted the signaling drum 2, which is of polygon cross section here shown as having six sides, which may have as many sides as are necessary to provide for the desired numberof signals. I

The mountingof this drum is here shown as'beingaccomplished' as by'a short shaft other end of the drum is provided with a short hollow shaft 5 mounted in the bearing,

6 the latter having a cap 7 which is hinged at 8 andv secured in this closed position bycasing when occasion'requires; the top 10 of the casing being made removable by the use of the screws 11 for that purpose. .Upon the short shaft is secured the gear 12 with which meshes the teeth of the rack bar 13 slidably mounted in the casing so as to have the same. Within this cas- .3 projecting from one; end thereof into a bearing 4 at one side of the casing while the r shaft from its bearing, which will a vertical movement for revolving the gear.

The shank 14 of this rack bar projects through the bottom of the casing and is pivoted at15 to one arm of the bell crank lever 16 which latter is pivoted at 17 and has pivoted at 18'to, its otherarm the rod 19.

The outer end of the rod 19 is threaded as indicated at 20'for the reception of one end of the turn buckle 21 into the opposite end" of which is threaded the rod 22 which latter is pivoted at 28 to the bell crank lever 24:, said bell crank lever being pivoted at 25 to a suitable bracket secured to the automobile havingconnected to its opposite end the swivel rod 26 which in turn is swiveled to the crank arm 2'7. This crank arm 27 is secured to the operatingrod 28 which latter is journaled in the bearings 29 and 30-se-. cured to the steering post casing 31.

32 represents an operating arm which is secured to or formed with the upper end of the operating rod 28 and carries the handle 33 for manipulation by the driver of the machine and also carries a pointer 34 adapted to travel over the indicator or. dial 35. This dial is divided into graduations and has thereon such words as correspond with' the signal words upon the signaling drum such as stop, right, danger, left and start.

. "Thesignalin g drum 2 has openings in the sides thereof which are covered by panes of glass 36 or other transparent or translucent material on which appear the signaling words in colors which are well recognized "to correspond with the particular signals 1 and the panes may be of such colors the lettering of the words being clear or entirely transparent, the idea beingto not only indicate the particular'signalby thevword,

but also by the color either of the lettering or of the back ground of the lettering; as for instance lettering ofthesignal danger would either appear with red or the back ground thereof would appear in red. Where found desirable celluloid may be used instead of glass or any other convenient material or arrangement for producing th s result.

Coinciding with; the inner. end of the short'hollow shaft 5 is a'lamp socket 37 for the reception of an electric lamp 38 for illuminat ing the interior of the drum so as to make each of the signals highly visible from Y the rear of the machine when saidsignal is set in front of the opening 39 in the back of the casing.

. 40 represents the-feed cord for conveying the, electric current to and from the lamp 7 the pointer 34 to the proper designation being in such convenient position to the uponthe dial which movement will actuate the rack bar 13 in such manner as to turn the drum so as to bring the corresponding signal in front of the opening 39 and as this operation is so easily performed the dial 0 driver the chance of accidents will be brought to a. minimum;

In order that easy access maybehad to the interior of the drum the head 41 of this jecting through slots therein, and these eyes are adapted to receive the cotter pins 43 which securely hold this'head in place to permit of its easy removal for renewing-the lamp for other purposes. 7

44 represents a hood which is formed with fiector 45 forming a portion ofitstop and 'drum is secured thereon by the eyes 42 proor secured upon the casing 1 having re 7 a setat such an angle asto throw the light 7 from the lamp 46 onto the license tag 47 and so intensify. this light as to make the tag highly legible from the rear of the machine.- The lamp 46 is located lengthwise I in the hood and is fed by the wires of the cord 48.

By housing in the license tag and leaving 7 only a rear open ng in the hood for this observation in the rear it is protected from the elements and against being splashed with mud which ofttimes makes it entirely illegible. I

I prefer that thehandle 33 be pivoted at' with a latch 51 adapted to enter the holes 52 formed in the dial in'order that when the'pointer is brought to the desired indication it may be locked in this position by the point of the latch entering the corresponding hole 52. r

Of course I do not wish to be limited to the exact details of construction as herein shown as these may be varied within the limits of the appended claim without'de parting from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and useful is z- In adevice of the character stated, a casdrum provided with short shafts, a closed bearing at one end of the casing for one of the shafts, an open hearing at the other end of the casing for the other shaft, a cap hinged to the open bearing for normally 50' to the operating arm and be provided .90 ing for housing'a removable rotatable signal 

